Dual key lock structure



p 11, 1956 c. H. WASSON 2,762,216

I DUAL KEY LOCK STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 30, 1954 United States Patent O Nik-O-"L'ok Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation Application August 30, .1954, Serial No. 452,870

' 7 Claims. (Cl. 70-63) This invention relates to a dual key lock structure.

In recent years there has been a marked trend away from the original grocery store custom of delivering merc'h'andise to the home of the purchaser. Several factors have been responsible. Two of the most important of these are the likelihood of damage to the merchandise during transit, and the possibility of theft of some of the packages or o'fjsome of their contents. As a consequence, supermarkets, grocery stores and the like today almost universally fail to make home deliveries.

With the thought in mind of eliminating these disadvantages in order to revive the original home delivery custom and thereby stimulate business by rendering greater service, the presentinvention has been conceived and perfected. To this end, the merchandise purchased -by a shopper is placed within a protective wire or other suitable basket having aflixed thereto the dual key lock 's'trucmre which is the subject of this application. "Ihe cashier of the store will, after putting all purchased merchandise within the basket, place a cover thereupon and lock it in position. This will be done through the use of 'amast'er'key which is always retained by the clerk. The r'nas't'er key will actuate the lock in just one manner, i. .e. by causing the latch bolt to move into extended, locking position relative to the cover or top of the basket. At such time, the key which will unlock the bolt, i. e. the second -key, is taken out of its keyway, where it is retained against removal so long as the boltis in retractedposition, and handed to the customer. Thus the only key which willmakepossible a removal of the cover is in the possession .o'f the purchaser. Once the delivery boy arrives at "her home she can insert the key given to her by the cashier, unlatch the bolt, take off the cover and :remove the contents fom the basket. Upon turning the latch bolt to retracted position the key will once again have been rota'ted'to a position where it cannot be removed until the master keyis again inserted by the cashier for the next customer. The delivery boy, of course, returns to the store with the basket and cover.

I his the primary object of the present invention to .pro- "vide a lock structure capable of operation in the above 'sequence'for'the accomplishment of the foregoing objectives.

It is 'afurt-her object of thepresent invention .to provide 'a dual key "lock c'ons'truction'that has a minimum number 'of'partsa'nd is operated in an easy, facile manner.

The full nature'of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims "lnthe drawings, Fig. l is a section view of the basket in which-the -groceries are placed and .to which the lock construction is connected.

Fig. atop plan view-of the lock construction.

Pig. 3 is a front elevation view'o f the lock construction with keys removed and with parts broken away.

A is a back elevation view o'fthe construction with the back cover plate removed, showing the latchingbolt dn retractedor-unlocked position.

2,762,216 Patented Sept. 11, 1955 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the exception that the latch bolt is shown in locked, extended position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the two keys that is used to operate the construction.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the other of the two keys.

In the drawings the basket into which the housewife or shopper may place the merchandise she is purchasing is shown generally at 10, it comprising the wire frame 11 and the cover 12. It is to be understood, of course, that any suitable basket of proper shape and proportions may be employed.

The lock mechanism which comprises the invention per se is shown generally at '13 and includes a housing 14 having a pair of transverse bores 15 and 16 formed therethrough. Rotatably disposed within the bores are plugs 17 and 18. Each plug has a .keyway 19 formed therein, 'the keyway .lying between the peripheral surface of the stem 20 and the adjacent face 21 of the plug. Each stem is connected to one of the discs 22 and 221:. Each disc an'd'the 'fr'ont s'houlder'portions 23 of the plugs are slightly Iarg'erin diameter than the inside diameter of the bores, thus preventing any axial movement within the bore. "The discs are each suitably connected as by screws 24 -to a'plug and are, therefore, rotatable therewith.

A stub shaft '25 is connected 'to the disc 22a and is rotatable therewith. Extending radially from this shaft is "the pin 26. Enveloping the shaft is a lever arm '27 having an apertured end portioni28. As Willbe observed in Fig. 4, this ap'ertured'po'rtion fits around the shaft and includes an enlarged extension or cut-out quadrant 29 in which the pin -is received. A cap .30 is frictionally clamped ov'erthe shaft and bears down upon the adjacent portion of the lever arm 27 thereby holding it against axial movement on the shaft.

A hook '31 is formed on the lever arm, it being connected bythe spring 32t0 the pin '33'fixe'd 'to'thehousi'ng. Thespring normally biases the opposite or operating end of the "lever into engagement the stop 34, and into engagement withone'or the other of "-the plug stops 35 or 36. Theselast two stops, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, arein theform of buttons or :pins connected to 'disc 22 and are in spaced =arcuate relation adjacent its periphery.

Afixed to disc 22 .(which as previously mentioned is secured to one of the plugs) -is' the pin 37 to which is connected the spring '38. The opposite end'of this :spring is attached 'to'pin-39 fixed "to the housing. The spring will normally bias disc 22 'andiplug "18 to 'the position shown in Fig. 5 where'inth'e latch bolt 40 is in extended or locked position. The latch bolt, as'will be observed, is pivotally connected at 41'to disc 22 and is :movable therewith. A stop pin is provided at 42 "so that as "the latch bolt is movedto extended position'it will be jutt'hrgs'trziight out in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

The 'keys *which will "operate the lock construction are shown in Figs. 6 and 7*wherein key '43 is shown having two *blades and key- 44, three bl'ades. Any desired number of blades maybe employed, these being formed in a manner well known in the pin-tumbler art, it 'having previously been pointed out herein-that the locks areof pin-tumbler character. Asis conventional in this art a plurality of bores 45 and 46 is provided. in Teach bore there are positioned the conventional tumbler pins #511 and tumbler spring 45b asshown inFig. 3. "When "the key'isiin its :k'eyway and bores 45 areinalignment'with bores 46 the'pins and springs in themespec'tive bores will be moved by thekey'to-apositionsuch that'thep'lugmay be rotated. lhatis to -'.say,'thepinsiwithin'the respective 'bores'areheldby the key -blade withtheirrmeeti'n'g ends flush with'i'the meeting surfaces iofthe plug 'andihous ing.

As will be'observed in.'Figs. 2iand'3,'when'the bolt is'in latched or locking positionthe key '44,whichis the cus-- tomers key, will be capable of being removed or inserted since bores 45 and 46 are in alignment. When, however, the latch bolt is moved as'hereinafter set forth in detail, to retracted or unlocked position (see Fig. 4) the bores will not be in alignment and the key cannot be removed. With this construction and arrangement, the customers key will always be retained within the keyway until such a time as the cover is latched in place upon the merchandise basket whereupon that key can be removed and placed in the customers custody until the delivery of the basket to her home. At such time she uses the key to unlatch the bolt whereupon the plug will once again have been rotated to a position where the .key cannot be removed.

Once'the master or cashiers key 43 is placed within the plug 18 that plug may be rotated relative to the housing. As it is thus rotated, pin 26 which is'normally located midway between the ends of cutout quadrant 29 will be rotated with the plug without in any way imparting movement to the lever arm 27 until such a time as the pin has traversed the extension or cut-out-quadrant and engaged the shoulder 47. At that vpoint further movement of the plug and pin will cause the lever arm to be pivoted against the bias of spring 32 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to the position shown in dotted lines therein.

With the lever arm moved away from stop 35, the disc 22 will immediately be biased by spring 38 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. This rotation or bias is, of course, not permitted so long as the lever arm is in engagement with the stop 35. Once,

however, the arm is pivoted, as aforesaid, there no longer is any restraint against the action of spring 38 whereupon, as stated, plug 18 will be rotated until the latch bolt connected thereto is in the extended position shown in Fig. 5.

At this time the lever arm will have been biased by spring 32 into engagement with stop 36 thereby preventing further clockwise rotation or" the plug relative to Figs. 4 and 5. -It is at this point that the bores 45 and 46 are in alignment and the key may be removedfrom the keyway and given to the customer for use at the time the groceries arrive at her home. Upon inserting the key she can rotate the plug 17 in a counterclockwise position as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5. As the plug is thus rotated, stop will movethe adjacent lever arm downwardly or away from it against the bias of spring 32 until .pin 35 has passed the end of the lever arm whereupon spring 32 'will once again bias that arm back to the position shown infull lines in Fig. 4. Once again it is impossible to turn plug 17 or to remove the customers key therefrom until the master or cashiers key is placed within plug 18.

As is apparent in Fig. l, the latch bolt will extend up ,into a recess formed in the cover 12 and will hold the cover in locked position upon the basket until'the foregoing procedure is followed.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive incharacter, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. 'A dual key lock structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key receiving plug in each opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally locking said plugs against rotation, the pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in each of said plugsto permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a firstposition whereinysaidbolt is extended and the'alignable bores in the F housing and said one plug are in alignment and a second 4 g position wherein said bolt is retracted and said last mentioned bores are out of alignmennmeans connected'to said one plug normally biasing it to said first position, an

ing a pair of openings, 8. key receiving plug ineachopening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally-locking said plugs.

against rotation, the pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a firstposition wherein said bolt is extended and the alignable bores in the housing and said one'plug are in alignment and a second position wherein said'bolt is retracted and said last mentioned bores are out of alignment, resilient means connected to said one plug and normally biasing it from said second position to said first position, a pair of abutments connected to said one plug, an element connected tosaid other plug and normally biased into the path of rotation of one or the other of said abutments for retaining said one plug in said first or second positions selectively, and means associated with said other plug and effective upon its rotation to move'said element but of the path of rotation of said abutments.

3. A dual key lock'structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key receiving plug in each opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally locking said plugs against rotation, said pins yielding to'a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one offsaid plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a first position wherein said bolt is extended and the alignable bores in the housing and said one plug are inalignment and a second position wherein said bolt is retracted and said last mentionedbores are out of alignment, resilient means connected to said one plug and normally biasing it from said second position to said first position, an element connected to said other plug, resilient means normally biasing said element into engagement with said one plug, said one plug having a pair of abutments engageable by said element selectively toretain said one plug in eithersaid first position or said second position, said one plug being normally rotatable from said first position to said second position whereby said element is disengaged from the adjacent abutment, and means associated with said. element efiective upon key rotation of said other plug to movesaid element but of engagement with said one plug.

4. A dual key lock structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key, receiving plug in each i opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins 7 disposed in said bores and normally locking'said plugs against rotation, the pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having, a latch bolt, .pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a first position wherein said bolt is extended and thealignable bores in the housing and said one plug are in alignment and a second position wherein said bolt is retracted and said last mentioned bores are out of alignment, means connected to said one plug" normally biasing it from said second position to said first position, an element having a cut-out quadrant formed therein, said element being connected to said other plug and normally biased into engagement with said one plug for retaining it in said first-or second position selectively, and lost motion means efiective upon key rotation of said other plug to move said element out of eiigagement with said one plug, said lost motion means including a pin rotatable with said other plug and disposed within said cut-out quadrant.

5. A dual key lock structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key receiving plug in each opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally locking said plugs against rotation, said pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a first position wherein said bolt is extended and the alignable bores in the housing and said one plug are in alignment and a second position wherein said bolt is retracted and said last mentioned bores are out of alignment, resilient means connected to said one plug and normally biasing it from said second position to said first position, an element having a cutout quadrant formed therein and connected to said other plug, resilient means normally biasing said element into engagement with said one plug, said one plug having a pair of abutments engageable by said element selectively to retain said one plug in either said first position or said second position, said one plug being manually rotatable from said first position to said second position whereby said element is disengaged from the adjacent abutment, and lost motion means associated with said element efiective upon key rotation of said other plug to move said element out of engagement with said one plug whereby said one plug is biased by said first mentioned resilient means to said first position, said lost motion means including a stub shaft secured to said other plug axially thereof and having a pin projecting radially therefrom, said pin being disposed within said cut-out quadrant.

6. The combination of an article receiving receptacle having a cover provided with means for receiving a latch bolt and a dual key lock structure secured to said receptacle, said structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key receiving plug in each opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally locking said plugs against rotation, the pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable from a first position wherein said bolt is extended into locking engagement with the means of said cover and the alignable bores in the housing and said one plug are in alignment to a second position wherein said bolt is retracted from within said cover means and said last mentioned bores are out of alignment, means connected to said one plug normally biasing it to said first position, an element connected to said other plug normally biased into engagement with said one plug for retaining it in said first or second positions selectively, and means efiective upon key rotation of said other plug to move said element out of engagement with said one plug.

7. The combination of an article receiving receptacle having a cover provided with latch bolt receiving means and a dual key lock structure secured to said receptacle, said structure comprising a housing having a pair of openings, a key receiving plug in each opening, said plugs and said housing having a plurality of alignable bores extending radially thereof, tumbler pins disposed in said bores and normally locking said plugs against rotation, the pins yielding to a key of proper form inserted in said plugs to permit plug rotation, one of said plugs having a latch bolt pivotally connected thereto and being rotatable between a first position wherein said bolt is extended into locking position within said cover means and the housing and bores of said one plug are in alignment and a second position wherein said bolt is retracted to permit cover removal and said last mentioned bores are out of alignment, resilient means connected to said one plug and normally biasing it from said second position to said first position, a pair of abutments connected to said one plug, an element connected to said other plug and normally biased into engagement with and in the path of rotation of one or the other of said abutments for retaining said one plug in said first or second positions selectively, and lost motion means associated with said other plug and effective upon its rotation to move said element out of engagement with and the path of rotation of said abutments whereby said one plug is biased by' its resilient means to said first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,367 OKeefe May 11, 1897 853,485 Townsend May 14, 1907 1,436,925 Wege et al. Nov. 28, 1922 1,482,189 Heyer Jan. 29, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS 259,380 Switzerland June 16, 1949 

